Friday, August 26, 2016

If Kolkata Durga Pujas were to be
compared with other alternative genres of exhibition art, then this guy would
actually be the Led Zeppelin amongst Idol makers; the AR Rehman of transforming
Durga Pujas into works of art and most importantly, the James Stewart of
Puja-bred popularity. SANATAN DINDA, the champion artiste who’s a colossal rage
in terms of Kolkata Durga Pujas. And even though he continues to be one of the iconic
names during Pujas, his real celebrity lies in his global recognition in the field
of sculpture, painting, body art, etc. But nevertheless, inspite of his busy
international itinerary, Dinda ekes out precious time for his beloved passion
of creating marvels during Pujas. This is something, which sets this man apart.

Born in 1971, Dinda is a first
class graduate in painting from the Government College of Arts and Crafts, Kolkata.
Almost equivalently adroit in painting, sketching, sculpting, mural making and
installations Sanatan’s work always embellishes a magical and divine tenor. Having
brought up in the gloomy alleys of North Kolkata, pretty close to the potters’
quarters of Kumartuli…. the grime and the soot and the ageless Ganga taught him
the finesse and fads of conventional craft of idol-making. With the
superimposing economic hardship, Sanatan had to muster enough resolve, even in
his foundational years, to persuade himself that he could reach millions
through his passion of painting and sculpture.

Keen on innovating, his murals
included imagery of ordinary men and women as well as Buddha with underlying
layers of flora, inscriptions and other patterns in the background adding to
their visual charm. Even though his initial works were more abstract and in landscape
format, his current works focus on three dimensional sculptural paintings of forms
that transcend the two dimensional confines of a canvas. Now his work can be counted
as a leading sample of modern Bengali visual art. His artforms often symbolise
a bond between convention and modernity by effectively conjoining spiritual
fantasy with surrealism.

Sanatan has been acknowledged as
one of Bengal's most accomplished painters, with his work acclaimed
internationally. His recognition is far and wide, from Buckingham Palace to
Sachin Tendulkar’s drawing-room. His aficionados include a varied range of
people, from Amitabh Bachchan to Sanjib Goenka, Harsh Goenka, Tina Ambani to Shahrukh
Khan. In the relatively short span of his career, Dinda’s exhibits have been showcased
all over India as well as in US, Singapore, Dubai and London, finding their own
space in distinguished compendiums such as that of the Duchess of Kent, the
Belgian Consulate, ISKCON and in private collections across the globe.

A Dinda Masterpiece in one of the Private Collections in Kolkata

His much
revered 'Yug Purush' series of portraits have a dash
of super realism, or according to art experts - 'ultra' reality. Dinda's works capture
intense echoes of his soul where he tries to encompass a vast ocean of his
life’s experiences like childhood fantasies, political conflicts, flaccid socio-economic
condition and parenthood. Sanatan portrays relationships in various facets. The
altercation, the congruence, the sensitivity and the perpetuity of societal relationships
are lucidly depicted in his compositions.

But like a true artiste, trying to discover fresh ways of
expression every passing day Dinda has ventured into a new art form, one that
he had wanted to attempt for a while, and one that calls for an entirely new
canvas. During his Art College days, Dinda had painted nude models but now he
paints on a nude model. Painters usually bring a bare canvas to life. Here, he
was working on an animate canvas that wasn't two-dimensional and rigid, but
three-dimensional with various contours and textures. His first foray into Body
Painting took him to the Austrian town of Portschach am Worthersee in 2013 for
the World Body Painting Festival where he ended up in the top 10 amongst 132
participants all over the globe. In 2015, Dinda bagged the coveted runners up
prize at the same Festival with his theme of surrealism where the artist
distorted the model’s body through sheer imagination and nimble art to uncover
a terror-stricken boy peeping out of the womb. And this is where Sanatan has
taken a quantum leap to the global Art arena and this is also one of the
primary reasons why these Pujas we will miss a signature Sanatan artefact.

Coming back to Durga Pujas in
Kolkata and its connection with Sanatan…. for the last two decades, he has worked
on traditional clay-sculpting of Durga idols, as an extension of mainstream art
within the purview of contemporary installation art practices.

He is considered as one of the pioneers of theme based Puja in Kolkata. Not
only does he add his signature style to most of his deities and pavilions but
at the same time churns out dissimilar yet jaw-dropping forms of artwork each
passing year. The evolution of Kolkata Durga Pujas into one of world’s premiere
exhibitions of popular art owes one hell of a lot to Sanatan Dinda and this
piece would look at some of his best installations and idols till date.

A listicle of Sanatan Dinda’s finest
works in the past few years -

Nalin Sarkar Street Sarbojanin
2011

Countless eyes provided an illusory
background as Devi overcomes Mahishasura with the entire imagery suspended in
mid-air. Holy chants added to the earnestness of this display by Dinda. The entry
to the main dome had his version of a mortal man mounted on a row boat. Dinda
extensively used Blue on the netting and other props which stretched out upto
the rooftops of the bordering houses. A surreal ambience created through
masterful treatment of light. Top draw effort….

95 Palli 2012

'Ananda' (Mirth) was the Theme. Hands are the most common organs
of human articulation. Multitude of emotions are expressed through hand
gestures and happiness is one of the most spontaneous of them. Hundreds of hands
were used to elucidate this theme of Happiness. The entrance was adorned by a
huge façade of half Shiva-half Buddha while the main dome depicted a joyous
Devi coming out of a carved holy manuscript. The
walls were also embellished with signature fresco work.... Sublime.....

Barisha Club 2012

'Shroddha' (Devotion) being the
essential theme of the club, the Goddess has been placed under a Shiv Linga.
The Mandap is designed around Shakti (Power) where unholy forces are defeated
by the flames of Divine influence. The Theme touches upon the eternal
relationship between man and woman which showcases a pair of Feet at the
entrance…. the left foot (with ornamentations) of a woman & the right of a
man... truly Heavenly…

Barisha Club 2013

Celebrating the Silver Jubilee of the
Club, Dinda masterfully used a mishmash of sculpture and painting to create a divine
environ for the Devi. At the entrance of the Mandap, Brikshadevi (Tree Goddess) welcomed
the audience into the pavilion symbolizing nature and power of Womanhood. The
Mandap interior was flanked by sacred patterns, motifs, lotuses and other
crawling foliage culminating in a human body lying powerless at Devi's feet. The image of

Devi
was in motion, with Mahishasura & Chanda-Munda pleading for her sanctification
- in a typical Sanatan-style. The cynosure of the exit was a brilliant Wall Relief of of Shiva holding Sati in his arms….
Easily one of my favourite Dinda exhibits…

95 Palli 2014

This year saw Dinda create an uncharacteristic
yet fascinating pavilion with a superlative Idol executed in Royal Golden hue.
Innovative-ness seemed to be at its height with the Pandal in shape of a blossoming
flower made of dinghy boats….. Mesmerising, to say the least.....

Chetla Agrani 2014

“Ananda Dhara Bohichhe Bhuboney”(Torrents of Joy streaming throughout the world) was the
focal idea behind the Theme which epitomises festivity embracing all religions.
The entrance had a stone Shivling while the main dome was similar to a tomb dating
back to the Mughal times. The deity was stationed on a cross whereas the
interiors displayed elaborate Buddhist compositions. The highlight of the
Pandal exterior was a Devi fresco hinged on the wall leading us to the
hypothetical Ladder to Heaven..... An Absolute Cracker!!!

Chetla Agrani 2015

Dinda at this Puja attempts at endorsing
Womanhood, as he always does with his inimitable panache. The eternal discord
between two primeval forces ie, Shiva & Durga is craftily manifested by the
use of austere red and blue. Fittingly, the idol is very overwhelming revealing
Woman power. Both interior and exterior of the pavilion have been designed out
of recycled materials consisting of tin drums, Paint brushes, cans, metal
shutters, steel spoons, mosquito nets etc.